House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) today released a letter from 19 House Democrats to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, stating opposition to the Bush Administration’s decision to “reprogram”, or move funds from state and local bioterrorism preparedness. The Administration has indicated it will shift $55 million in Fiscal 2004 bioterrorism preparedness funding away from the State and Local Bioterrorism Preparedness to other initiatives. The text of the letter is below:

For the seventh week this session, the Republican leadership has again put forward a light Floor Schedule that does not address the fundamental problems facing America– including the stubborn unemployment that continues to plague the country as today’s Bureau of Labor Unemployment Report shows.

Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2004,
District of Columbia Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2004,
Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003